Pups for 3 humbucker guitar

[GroundskeeperWillie]

I have a friend who wants to change the pickups in his epi black beauty & asked for advice on changing the pickups
im a little confused about the middle pickup (I forgot to ask if those guitars have a standard 3-way or a 5-way ,if they exist)
but my guess is all humbuckers are wound the same direction but the middle pickup will have the magnet reversed for a 5-way
,if its not i guess none of this is any worry

[copperheadroads]

I'm not sure but i don't think Gibson ever used a 5-way as a toggle lp style
I'd say just 2 neck pickups & a bridge pickup

[David Schwab]

I have a friend who wants to change the pickups in his epi black beauty & asked for advice on changing the pickups
im a little confused about the middle pickup (I forgot to ask if those guitars have a standard 3-way or a 5-way ,if they exist)
but my guess is all humbuckers are wound the same direction but the middle pickup will have the magnet reversed for a 5-way
,if its not i guess none of this is any worry

Humbuckers don't need to have anything reversed for a five way, since they are humbuckers. Single coils do that to hum cancel.

On those Gibsons the middle pickup was usually wired out-of-phase, and worked with the neck to give a thin bright tone in the middle position.

[Chuck H]

If it were my guitar I'd wire it as a standard two humbucker Les Paul. I'd have a pull pot switch on one tone control that adds the middle pickup and a pull pot on the other tone control that splits the coils. That omits the stock tones, but adds more useful tones IMHO.

[soundmasterg]

If it were my guitar I'd wire it as a standard two humbucker Les Paul. I'd have a pull pot switch on one tone control that adds the middle pickup and a pull pot on the other tone control that splits the coils. That omits the stock tones, but adds more useful tones IMHO.

+100!

[David Schwab]

If it were my guitar I'd wire it as a standard two humbucker Les Paul. I'd have a pull pot switch on one tone control that adds the middle pickup and a pull pot on the other tone control that splits the coils. That omits the stock tones, but adds more useful tones IMHO.

I agree. I knew a guy back in the 70s that added a center pickup to his Les Paul Custom, and had it wired up with the pickup in phase, which is way more useful than the way they did it. Back then there was no push pull pots on guitars, so he had an extra toggle switch for that pickup. With the three pickups on it have a nice smooth tone.

[Ronsonic]

Has anyone here tried that "gear shift" looking toggle that Stew Mac sells? STEWMAC.COM : Pictures of Free-Way Pickup Switch

Could have potential in one of these, if it fits.

[big_teee]

Has anyone here tried that "gear shift" looking toggle that Stew Mac sells? STEWMAC.COM : Pictures of Free-Way Pickup Switch

Could have potential in one of these, if it fits.

That looks neat, but a bit Pricey, for us Retired Folks!
Terry

[copperheadroads]

Has anyone here tried that "gear shift" looking toggle that Stew Mac sells? STEWMAC.COM : Pictures of Free-Way Pickup Switch

Could have potential in one of these, if it fits.

Where's the clutch

[David Schwab]

Has anyone here tried that "gear shift" looking toggle that Stew Mac sells? STEWMAC.COM : Pictures of Free-Way Pickup Switch

Could have potential in one of these, if it fits.

The problem with that thing is the switching schemes are hard wired into the switch. If you like what it offers, well then that's fine. I would have liked it better if it let you wire it up any way you wanted.

Personally I'd just add a push/pull put to switch in the middle pickup. That way it can be used with either or both of the others, and it's not all that useful on its own.